


Head or tails

by Publisher021



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Artist Steve Rogers, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Fourth of July, Hurt Steve Rogers, M/M, POV Steve Rogers, Protective Tony Stark, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers and the 21st Century, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-14
Updated: 2019-08-14
Packaged: 2020-08-23 13:42:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 7,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20243794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Publisher021/pseuds/Publisher021
Summary: When Tony Stark pitches up at your door dressed to the nines one simply does not look tired.Or, Steve has DID and refuses to celebrate his birthday. What's the point when the world doesn't want Steve Rogers, only Captain America?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Capsicle2013](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capsicle2013/gifts), [sabrecmc](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sabrecmc/gifts).

> Since this work was originally posted on the fourth of July, and I just read this, I realized that all the chapters we're in the incorrect order. Which meant that I had to redo everything. So here we are. Enjoy!
> 
> Also, if you're good at editing and give honest critiques, I'm in desperate need of a beta reader.

Sitting in his apartment, it's strange to find that he doesn't really miss the noise that goes on outside. He's content with just sitting on his sofa in his comfiest pair of sweats and a jumper. In his hands is a book that caught his eye when making his way back home from a recon mission. That evening he'd been tired and his body ached as the latest of his adrenaline faded away, but the bookstore had beckoned to him and he'd made his way along rows of books with the kind of unbridled joy akin to that of a young child encountering candy. His apartment isn't much but to him, it's something that he can call his. He owns it. SHIELD hadn't set him up with a fully furnished apartment. No, he'd sought it out himself. He'd bought his own furniture and decorated it with a few paintings. Nothing much, really. His previous apartment, the one that SHIELD had oh so helpfully set up for him was littered with bugs. And not the type of bugs where you immediately want to call the exterminators, but rather the 'oh, no! The government is spying on me’ type. This apartment is one that SHIELD isn't privy to. And for that he's glad. At first, he doesn't register the sound of someone knocking on his apartment door, he's that focused on his book. But soon the knocks become more and more persistent. The person outside seems to grow increasingly impatient in the amount of time that Steve realises that there's someone knocking at his door. The person is hammering on his door. Steve sighs, putting down his book. He scrubs a hand down his face in the hopes that it would expel the last dregs of fatigue from his system. If he could, he'd drink a cup of coffee to rid himself of his seemingly permanent exhaustion. The serum wasn't that kind. He didn't even feel the effects of coffee hitting his system, so drinking a cup of coffee was useless. He stands up, making his way to the door. As soon as the door opens, the person on the other side immediately falls forward, and Steve is quick to hold his arms out to help them right themselves. He assumes that the person had been leaning on the door. He could tell that the person was about to knock on the door again right as he opened the door because their hand was still held upright, in a slight fist, the gesture a tell as to what they were about to do. Steve does not want to deal with this. He just wants to go back to his book, in the silence of his apartment. The person, who had rudely invited themselves into his apartment, is brushing their hands across their clothing. Steve doesn't see the movement properly, seeing as he's shutting the door behind him. “Nice apartment you've got yourself, Rogers,” the person says, and Steve closes his eyes, taking a deep breath and holding it in. Now that the person is actually identified - how the hell did Tony Stark even have time to go looking for his address? - Steve definitely doesn't want to deal with this. He wants Tony to leave him alone. “Thanks.” Steve tries for a slightly less tired tone but judging by the raised eyebrows that he gets tells him that he doesn't exactly succeed. Steve doesn't care. Steve's lack of proper conversational skills is all it takes for Tony to take it upon himself to go on a tour of his apartment, chattering to himself and occasionally looking at Steve for comments. When he deems the apartment appropriately decorated - Steve really didn't care for Tony's running commentary on his furniture or decorations. At least he didn't decorate his apartment like that big, ugly building of Tony's - he makes his way to where Steve is standing. He cocks his head to the side, stuffing his hand in his pocket. Steve's eye follows the movement as the gold watch on Tony's hand catches the light and reflects on the wall. “Didn't peg you as the type of guy to lounge around in sweats and a jumper. Y'know with all the running around you do helping old ladies get their cats from trees,” Tony's smirking at him. He's dressed to the nines in a fitted black suit, charcoal tie and his ever present glasses are framing his face, hiding his eyes from view. Steve finds he doesn't want to argue. He's exhausted and he'll do whatever it takes to get Tony out of his home. Even if it means having to deal with his stupid jokes. Steve gives Tony a raised eyebrow in return. “What, you thought I sleep in my uniform?” he says. He's more than startled when Tony gives a bark of laughter, snorting in a way that was so unlike him that makes Steve wonder if what he thought of Tony was true. The Tony standing in front of him was so different to the one from before that it makes his head hurt from thinking about it. “And he makes jokes too! You really are something else, Rogers,” Tony says, giggling almost hysterically. Steve's pretty sure that Tony just pictured him sleeping in his uniform. “And here I thought you were the type of senior citizen that would shout at the kids to get off his lawn,” Tony says with an innocent look Steve sees right through Tony's mock look of innocence and finds himself struggling to hide a slight grin. All he can say in reply is, “Did you have a reason for coming over, Stark, or do you just pay anyone a random visit when you feel like it?” Steve takes notice of the slight flinch as he says 'Stark’ and he frowns. Did he say something wrong? In his exhausted mind everything is slightly unclear. Steve wishes that he had the surge of adrenaline in his bloodstream that he usually got before a mission. It always helped him stay focused and to take note of the most smallest of things, no matter how insignificant they were. Tony's jovial attitude seems to fade at that particular question and he straightens up, all serious. And… the old Tony Stark he knew was back. “Right. I actually came over to tell you that you now have an apartment, free of charge, of course, back at the tower. I've invited the rest of the team as well. See the tower almost as our unofficial headquarters, if you will. It's much simpler if we're all in the same place should SHIELD need us to help take down the next wannabe villain,” Tony says. Steve furrows his brow. The Captain would say yes. It's a sound strategy, of course, why wouldn't he agree? Steve Rogers, again on the other hand, would say no. If he lived in the tower, there's no two ways about it; his newfound privacy would be shot to hell with Tony's technology spying on him. He would have to be on his toes all the time, no time to rest. If the others were there, Clint and Natasha especially, they'd stick their noses in his business. “Stark, I can't do that,” Steve said. He knew he was frowning. He didn't want to be rude, seeing as Tony had literally extended an olive branch. Well, he sees this invitation as an olive branch anyway. Their meeting back at the helicarrier had been unpleasant, their words even more so. Steve _was_ sorry. He didn't mean to say all those horrible things about Tony. Tony held his hands up in a placating manner. “I know, I know. It's just an invitation. You don't have to move right away, promise. But at least consider the offer. You're basically hiding away in this nondescript apartment of yours, all alone, and I just thought that the team should be together. I mean, we don't have to have sleepovers and braid each other's hair over telling secrets or anything, but this way we'll maybe get along better.” Tony's words made sense, but Steve was reluctant to agree. It would make his ego even bigger than it already was and Steve refused to have Tony acting like the smug ass he could be. Sorry, was. Maybe if he told Tony that he'd think about it, it would get him to leave sooner. He was so tired. “Also,” Tony seemed to be on a roll now, “_Also_, if you choose to live in the tower, you can still keep your apartment. You could stay here when you need a break or if you have a mission in DC.” Silence. Tony seemed to be waiting on a response from him, bouncing slightly on the balls of his soled feet, hands clasped together. “I'll… think about it, Stark.” It was if Steve had hung the moon. Tony's smile was megawatt bright, and he clapped happily. Tony seemed to realise what he'd done and cleared his throat. “Good, good. That's good, I mean.” Steve was thoroughly amused. Tony seemed to thrive on people's positive responses. Given that he didn't even agree to step foot into the tower, much less live in an apartment in said tower, Tony's response was strange. Steve watched as Tony fixed his glasses, walking to the door to let himself out. Then, almost as an afterthought, Tony turned his head to look at him over his shoulder, a look of slight concern on his face. “And, Rogers?” “Yeah, Stark?” What can the guy possibly ask of him now? He was so close to getting back to his book. So close to the silence of his apartment. “Get some sleep. You look like you need it.” He's out of the door before Steve can say anything.


	2. Chapter 2

The next time they meet, they're each wearing their respective uniforms. The Captain is at the helm and in his element, yelling orders into his comm unit while simultaneously fighting off the horde of doom bots at his back and looking out for the rest of his team. 

Iron man is in the sky, repulsors whirring as they shoot stray doom bots heading for buildings out of the way. All it takes for them to go down is a shot to the underbelly, where most of the wiring is hidden. 

The Captain doesn't keep his eyes on Iron Man any more, keeping focus on the doombots heading to Clint whose making his way to the top of a nearby building. 

A violent blast at the corner of Fifth Avenue grabs his attention and he presses a finger to the comms in his ear. The last time he saw Natasha, she was battling it out with three other doombots. “Widow, status report!” he barks, picking up his shield and running over to her location. The line on the other end is silent and he can hear Clint swearing as he makes his way back down the side of the building he scaled less than five minutes ago.

“Iron Man, have you disabled the one in charge? I'm making my way over to Widow right now. Get hold of medical, we might need them,” he says.

“Aye, aye, Captain! I've disabled the 'bot in charge. Looks like it was being controlled all the way from Latveria. Always knew Doom was a coward. Getting hold of medical now,” comes Tony's voice in his ear.

He makes his way to the wreckage sight, eyes scanning the debris for any sight of Natasha. “Alright, Cap. Medevac is prepped and ready should we need them. Any sign of itsy bitsy spider?” Tony asks and he can hear the repulsors overhead. 

The Captain is level-headed even though a member of his team is missing from comms and likely hurt. 

By now the entire team is sorting through the wreck. 

A shout from Thor has everyone running over. He's bent over Natasha's prone form, blood rushing from her temple and various cuts littered across her face. 

“Coulson, we're coming through. Natasha's hurt,” Clint's hand hovers over her body but he pulls his hands back before he can touch her. Instead, he stands up, looking over at Steve. “We need to move her, Cap. I can't lift her,” he says, lifting his sprained wrist.

“I'll carry her, Barton. She'll be fine,” he says. Gently, so as not to jostle any of Natasha's injuries, he lifts her into his arms. Really, she feels too light. Thor, who always has a smile on his face, looks solemn and serious. Steve nods at him when he sees that he's taken off his cape and has draped it over Natasha. It's a kind gesture and Thor smiles when he sees that Steve is pleased. 

When they finally get to Coulson and the med team on standby, Natasha is taken from Steve and put on a stretcher. They put her in an ambulance and when Coulson tries to tell Clint to stay behind, he gets a cold glare and the door of the ambulance shutting in his face in return. 

Tony, who had retracted the face plate, laughs at Coulson. He should've known not to try. Clint and Natasha are joined at the hip. One lands up in hospital, the other will go along for the ride. It's just the way they are.


	3. Chapter 3

The cowl is next to his feet, shield propped up on the wall beside the hard, plastic chair he's sitting on. The rest of the team is scattered around the hospital. Thor decided that he liked the brightness of the gift store at reception and was probably causing some havoc. Thor, Steve noticed, was exceptionally eager and excited to see new things. He was like a child. Steve was sure that it would've worn off already by now, it sure seemed to have worn off for him in the first day of spending time in the twenty-first century.

For Thor, however, it didn't look like it was going to wear off any time soon. Clint was with Natasha. Bruce cleaned up and was dressed in his spare clothes. He'd eaten a few energy bars and drank a bottle of water. It was always tiring turning back to himself after being the Hulk for a while. Not long after, he'd decided to talk to Natasha's doctors.

Tony, as far as Steve knew, is walking around the hospital dressed in the flashy red and gold armour.

Coulson was in another room. He hadn't put his phone down for the two hours that they've been in the hospital. Steve didn't know what to do with himself. What could he do? So he'd taken out his tablet and had gotten started on his report. It wouldn't take long, and would serve as a good distraction. Not long after he started his report, he feels someone tap on his shoulder and he startles, nearly dropping the tablet.

He looks up to see Tony looking down at him, clearly amused. He doesn't miss the raised eyebrows that he gets when Tony sees that he's busy writing up his report and _definitely_ doesn't miss the eye roll. He feels his hackles rise up and he's getting ready to argue should Tony feel the need to say anything he especially doesn't want to hear, but instead Tony hands him a styrofoam cup. He puts the tablet down and takes the cup from Tony.

“Thanks, Stark,” he says. He sees Tony shake his head almost in disappointment. “Don't thank me yet, Cap. This coffee tastes like utter crap and barely passes for substantial instant coffee. To call it proper coffee is extremely incorrect and I find it highly insulting.” Nevertheless, Tony sips from it, barely succeeding in hiding a grimace. Steve thinks that Tony wasn't even trying. Looking into his own cup, he finds that it's filled with black coffee.

Ah. Yes. The Captain takes his coffee black. No sugar. No milk. Steve Rogers, on the other hand, prefers his coffee with sugar and creamer. He always puts too much sugar in his coffee.

He smiles somewhat bitterly. Tony, who he was unaware of watching him, pulls a face.

“Sorry, uh. Wasn't sure how you take your coffee. Pepper always tells me I shouldn't just assume things and that I should ask people. I guess that's why we argue so much. Feel free to throw it away. It won't hurt my feelings, promise,” Tony says with a teasing lilt to his voice.

Steve shakes his head. “No, no. It's fine. I like it black, really,” he says. He's aware of just how much Tony gave away. Probably without meaning to, judging from his frown. It's silent now, tense. Neither of them look at the other, neither knowing what to say. They don't have to say anything because Bruce comes out of Natasha's room, looking slightly worse for wear, what with his baggy shirt and untidy hair. He looks tired but not worried, which Steve sees as a good thing.

“She's fine. Annoyed that she's injured but she should make a full recovery. Twisted ankle and concussion. They've put her off from missions until she can walk on her ankle,” Bruce says. Steve feels as if a huge weight has been lifted off of his chest. It's his job to look after the team, no matter what. Today, a member of his team got hurt on his watch. It makes him feel guilty.

Apparently, he's not the only one who feels relieved because Tony smiles at him, clapping him on the back. “Hear that, Cap? Natasha's gonna be just fine. Ten bucks says she doesn't last a week and stabs Barton on the second day of her bedrest.” Tony's last comment makes Steve want to punch him, but before he could say something, Thor comes back, a massive balloon in his hand. “Hello again, friends. The wonderful lady in the shop informed me of this magical floating balloon. I thought it a good gift for lady Natasha. Is it not amazing?” _Nevermind_, Steve thinks, _Thor's curiosity will never truly be sated._


	4. Chapter 4

It's a Saturday morning and it's five am. The apartment is silent and so is the rest of the city. Of course, who else would be awake at this time of day? If it's one thing about New Yorker's, they certainly don't like being awake early. Which, Steve thought, was strange for a city who prided themselves of the fact that they never sleep. The coffee mug in his hand does nothing but serve it's second purpose, warming him up from the inside.

He says second purpose because the coffee's first purpose is to wake a person up, but since the serum doesn't allow for him to get drunk, or, apparently, to feel the effects of caffeine hitting his system, its purpose is null and void. A bit, Steve mused, like himself.

The world needed Captain America, so Captain America existed for the sole purpose of being there for the people of the nation. Steve Rogers, however, doesn't have a purpose and died back in the war. He remembers reading a line from one of his books, a couple of weeks ago, and it had stood out to him. No particular reason, sometimes the things he reads doesn't need to have a reason for standing out to him, but this line sounded slightly poetic. Now that he thinks of it, it wasn't just poetic, it felt like it was written specifically to him.

_“To be great is to be misunderstood."_

And Steve, of all people, understood that most of all. People would do anything for Captain America, hell, they'd sacrifice their first born if he asked them to, but no one understood what truly went on. Captain America was brave, bold, courageous, fearless. He didn't need someone to hold on to. He drank his coffee black, he was serious, he stood for what was right, his work was his lover. He didn't have a social life. He was friendly to everyone, yet no one knew a thing about him, besides what the history books and Smithsonian provided them with.

Steve Rogers was neither of those things. He was lonely, for lack of better words. He tried to integrate himself into the twenty-first century, but it was like he never truly fitted in. Captain America, though, took to it like a fish in water. He found that he couldn't talk to anyone without feeling judged, even though he didn't tell them anything about himself. It was like they just knew that something about him was off.

So he kicked it under the rug and put a smile on his face, going about his day. It was better this way. All he had to do was keep his mouth shut and nod whenever someone gave him his orders. He was a soldier, after all. Besides, he was a puppet even in the war, his superiors pulling on his strings until he was ready to fall to his feet with exhaustion. He didn't know what made him think waking up to this century would be any different. He was still a puppet, just this time it was for a different organisation. So Captain America spent most of his time at the helm and in charge and Steve Rogers came out when no one was looking. His thoughts, as fast as they had come on, taper off and he's left with a mug of cold coffee, much to his disgust.

He throws it down the sink and leaves the mug to be cleaned later. He'll do it after he comes back from his run. He bends down and reties his laces before grabbing his key and heading out the door. Perhaps he'll find the peace he'd been looking for today.


	5. Chapter 5

This time, he's in Central Park. He's sitting on one of the benches overlooking a pond and shading in his drawing of a little boy and his mom who'd been there earlier to feed the ducks. His heart ached painfully at the reminder of how much the little boy acted like Bucky. He was always overprotective. Seeing that characteristic in the little boy when he tried to take a duckling home with him because he looked lonely and sad because his friends left him, Steve felt equal parts sad and happy. 

He decides that maybe it would be a good idea to move into the tower. But he'd let Tony wait. He doesn't really want to live there, he's sure that he'll hate it, actually. But he can agree with Tony that it's a good idea. (He pretends that that's the only reason why he's folding on the idea of staying at the tower, and not because he's lonely).


	6. Chapter 6

He's annoyed when his phone starts ringing in the middle of the night. It's been set to vibrate whenever he gets a message or a phone call, and he'd been told by the junior agent in charge of helping him use it that he won't be able to hear it because it's so faint, but clearly they never accounted for the serum and his enhanced hearing. Even before the serum his hearing had been slightly more sensitive to sound, but now with the serum it's been dialed up to a hundred.

So his phone that's currently buzzing away on his bedside table is _extremely_ loud in the silence of his bedroom. Besides the serum, and his sensitive hearing, his training as a soldier aided him in being able to tell when someone was sneaking up on him or when someone was hiding away.

Which is why he jolts up in bed when his phone vibrates. He doesn't have to know that his cellphone had only vibrated once, he already knows. If he could hear a pin drop when sleeping, his phone vibrating is the equivalent to an elephant stomping around.

“Hello? Steve Rogers speaking,” he says and glances at the red glow of his alarm clock. It's only two in the morning. He'd been asleep for about an hour.

“-ow! Do you always have to sound so stuck up? And you answered straight away? What, were you still awake practising your speeches to sway the country? Anyway, I called to ask if you've decided yet.”

Tony.

The only person that managed to get under his skin so quickly. The only person that he despised in the twenty-first century. The only person that infuriated him to no end with their stubbornness and endless supply of useless quips and hurtful comments. Tony was the only one that managed to see - no matter how accidental - through his little act.

All of a sudden, Steve is bone tired. He rubs his eyes, trying to force the tiredness from them. He cuts Tony off before he could go off on another tangent. Before he could say anything any more true than it already is and hurt him again. He doesn't mean to come across as stuck up. He doesn't _mean to_ sound as if he knows better than Tony. But that doesn't matter to Tony, because in Tony's head, Steve hates him.

“Do you realise what the time is, Stark?” he hears himself ask. When it's silent on the other end of the phone he assumes that Tony had asked JARVIS or checked his watch for the time. “Do you even know the _date_?” he asks this time.

The silence grows further. “Uh… yeah. So I might have woken you up. Sorry about that, Spangles. As for your question on what date it is, I'm pretty sure it's the seventeenth? Of June I mean,” Tony says. Steve sighs. He's tired and wants to go to bed. But some self-proclaimed genius can't even figure out the date right now. It would help if he knew the date, at least. Then it would put Steve's faith back in Tony on his so called genius. Until he can tell Steve the proper date, Steve refuses to acknowledge Tony's title of genius. “It's the twentieth, Stark,” he replies flatly. “And it's two am.”

Tony laughs slightly, and to Steve's ears it sounds apologetic. “Sorry. I was just busy tinkering in my lab. I sorta lose track of time, you know how it is. So? Have you thought about my offer?” Tony asks. Steve bangs his head against his headboard in frustration. Did Tony not hear a single thing he's said? It's two in the morning and the guy wants to have a conversation. Can't it wait until tomorrow, maybe when he's slightly more coherent? And not when he's so exhausted that he feels like strangling Tony with his bare hands just for waking him up?

“Goodnight, Stark. Or good morning, whichever suits you.” Steve puts the phone down and shuts off his bedside lamp. His head barely touched the pillow before he sighs, feeling guilty.

A beat passes.

He sighs again and picks up his phone. The phone rings once, twice, and then Tony picks up. Steve feels even more guilty. “Were you waiting for me to call?” he asks, feeling slightly curious despite the guilt weighing down on him heavily. Tony was just trying to be nice, after all. He didn't have to offer up his tower for him or the rest of the team but he is.

“Didn't think you were the type to hang up on people, Cap,” Tony says brightly and Steve winces at the name and the tone of Tony's voice. “Sorry. Hey, so - uh, were you serious about me moving in?” he asks carefully. The phone goes silent again and Steve waits patiently. In the background, Steve can hear Tony swearing as he knocks something off somewhere and then hears him yelling at someone called - Dummy?

“DUM-E, no! I said the other screwdriver. Sorry, Cap. Yeah, wait - are you, are you saying you're going to move in?” Tony asks. Steve can hear the incredulity in his voice. “If it's okay with you. I mean, I can stay here in my apartm -” “No, no, no, I promise you, Spangles, you won't regret it! No take-backsies. You're living with me now. Well, not _living with me_, living with me, but actually living in the tower,” Tony babbles. Steve finds himself struggling to hold back a smile.

“I'm already regretting it, Stark,” he says and he can practically hear Tony rolling his eyes. “Nuh, uh, Capsicle. Get your apartment all packed up, I expect to see you in two weeks’ time. Or a week, depending on how much you have to pack up. Wait until I tell Pepper about this. Anyway, I gotta go. Bye!” Tony shuts up and Steve is left hanging, staring at the blank screen of his cellphone. He puts his phone down and falls asleep.

He doesn't dream that night.


	7. Chapter 7

Steve spends more time talking to Tony on his phone than he does reading his new book, Surviving Mumbai. It's apparently based on a movie but, until he finishes the book, Steve won't watch the movie. He prefers reading, anyway.

Tony messages him almost every hour, every day. Even if they don't have anything to say, Tony will start a random conversation, be it a rant about his fellow co-workers at Stark Industries or what he's busy with in the lab. Sometimes he sends Steve pictures of cats with funny captions and other times he'll send recommendations for books or movies he thinks Steve will like or should check out, and more often than not, Steve finds that he likes the things that Tony's picked out for him. He also learns, well, relearns that he was right, Tony has a lot of opinions about a lot of things and he doesn't care if people don't agree with his views. Steve also finds that most of the things Tony recommend he try, are the things that SHIELD tried to hide from him.

Steve is glad that Tony showed him just how much he missed during the time he spent asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

The next time they're on a mission, Steve Rogers is at the back of his mind and the Captain is at the helm once more, happily throwing his shield at the enemy. The enemy this week being the Wrecking Crew. 

“Avengers, you'll never win! See how much you like it behind bars and then we'll talk,” say one of the members of the Wrecking Crew.

Falcon flies overhead, shooting at them with his guns and dodging the flying debris from the fallen buildings being hurled at him.

“Man, shut up already. Don't you ever get tired of your own voice? Clearly not because you've been whinging and complaining and monologuing this entire time we've been fighting each other,” Sam yells, dodging another blow that would've incapacitated him if it hadn't been for Steve yelling at him to duck.

Steve can hear Clint laughing over the comms and he grits his teeth.

“Chatter, Falcon. Hawkeye get back to your perch. Iron Man, keep an eye on Hawkeye,” he ordered.

He heard Tony snort gracelessly. “Am I being paid for babysitting Barton, Cap?” he asked.

Steve ignored him and flung his shield at Piledriver and spun on his heel, activating the magnets that called the shield back to him before setting his eye on his next target.


	9. Chapter 9

Two hours and no injuries later, the Wrecking Crew is successfully beaten and held in separate holding cells on SHIELD's helicarrier before being transported to a better prison. 

The Captain had handed over his control to Steve once more and was silent at the back of his head, leaving Steve to walk around in his uniform and feeling all the additional aches and pains that always came with dealing the Wrecking Crew when they decided to come out and play. 

Steve knew he had to head over to debrief with Fury and the rest of the team but right now all he wanted was a cup of coffee, even if he couldn't feel anything. He wanted it with lots of sugar and creamer. The way he liked it.

He set his sights towards the canteen located in the east wing of the 'carrier and prayed that no agents were still walking around. He didn't want to pretend to be the Captain anymore. He was too tired.

Right as he was filling his mug with his coffee, he heard someone else walk into the canteen and he held back a sigh. So much for peace and quiet.

“Hey, Cap. You too, huh?” 

It was only Tony. Steve felt immense relief at knowing that it was Tony and not some starstruck agent who had walked in on him grabbing a cup of coffee.

“Only me,” he said quietly, watching as Tony got to work on making his own coffee.

Tony looked at him curiously, cocming his head to the eye and squinting at him slightly before turning back to his coffee once he seemed Steve wasn't interesting enough.

Tony sipped from his coffee, sighing with pleasure.

“So you're moving in tomorrow, right?” he asked and Steve nodded.

Tony grinned. “Great!” he said. Then Tony seemed to see what Steve was drinking and he frowned.

“I thought you drank it black?” he asked. Steve shrugged. 

Tony scrutinized him a second longer but then went back to his coffee. “Anyway, you won't regret it. You'll love it, promise.”

Steve opens his mouth to reply but then his phone buzzes right at the same time Tony's starts ringing. Tony pulls out his phone and gets a shit-eating grin before answering cheerfully.

“Hi, Fury! What can I do for you today?” he asks pleasantly. Steve doesn't bother taking out his phone. He knows it's Natasha asking him where he is. He's late for debrief. Shocker. The Captain might never be late but Steve Rogers doesn't care right now.

“Stark! Get your ass to debrief! You're late, again,” Fury doesn't wait for Tony to reply and puts the phone down.

Tony grins at Steve. “Guess you've never been late, golden boy. Well, you've earned yourself a five minute tardy. No doubt Fury will blame me for it,” Tony says cheerfully, walking out of the canteen, Steve at his heels.

Steve doesn't bother correcting him.


	10. Chapter 10

It's the thirtieth of June and Steve is standing outside of the tower, duffle bag slung over his shoulder and a cardboard box in his hands. It's all the belongings he'd bothered to pack up from his apartment. 

He takes a deep breath and walks into the lobby, glancing around. It's empty, except for the receptionist who's flipping through a gossip magazine but immediately shuts it and slips it under a pile of papers when she notices him walk in.

Too late, Steve thinks.

When he tells her his name, her eyes widen minutely and she points him towards the elevator, telling him that Tony is waiting for him.


	11. Chapter 11

It's the first of July and Steve can safely say that although he's not a big fan of the tower, he can definitely say that the view from his apartment window certainly is beautiful. He'd been overwhelmed at first, especially when Tony had given him the grand tour of the tower, proudly showing him his lab and other floors before showing him his own apartment. So far he hasn't seen the rest of the team but he knows that they're around the tower. Somewhere.

Tony still checks up on him and messages him but he mostly decides to communicate via JARVIS. Steve isn't too sure what to think of JARVIS.

Last night he'd woken up in the Captain's mindset and JARVIS had tried to talk him down but he kept quiet when he realised that Steve wasn't responding correctly. Tony had told him that JARVIS monitors everything in the tower and is set to notify him if anything happens to the rest of the team, but Steve shouldn't worry because he doesn't check the security feed. He knows it's a violation of privacy.

JARVIS had told Tony about his nightmare and no doubt about his 'strange’ behavior and Tony had come to check up on him, knocking politely on the door instead of taking the elevator leading straight into his apartment before coming in. When he'd asked Steve what was wrong and couldn't find anything wrong with him he left, annoyed at JARVIS for the miscommunication.

Steve found it a bit funny. JARVIS probably had no idea what was going on.


	12. Chapter 12

He and Tony had some strange sort of friendship with each other. Acquaintance was a better word for it. They joked around with one another and would smile at each other if they bumped into one another. It wasn't one of those forced smiles that Steve had become used to having to wear out in public, but rather a real smile.

Yesterday Tony surprised him by sitting with him in the tower's common room. As far as Steve knew, Tony never used it, and probably never even knew about this floor. So when Tony walked in, grinning and holding two mugs of coffee and a box of donuts, Steve was surprised. 

Tony had made his coffee the way he liked it, with lots of sugar and creamer. 

They'd spent the better part of an afternoon talking about what Tony was busy with in the lab, and Steve had managed to get an invitation from Tony to visit his lab, which Steve declined. Perhaps he'd use it in the future.

When Tony saw his sketchbook, he was surprised. He didn't know that Steve could draw. And when Steve didn't offer to show him what he was drawing Tony didn't push. He simply offered to take Steve to the MoMa. 

Their afternoon was cut short when Tony got a phone call from Pepper and had to leave. 

Steve found that his encounter with Tony didn't leave a bitter taste in his mouth. Not anymore.

That night Steve found two tickets to the MoMa on his kitchen table. He supposed he now had someone to take with him.


	13. Chapter 13

“Good morning, Captain Rogers. It is July fourth and the weather today is pleasantly warm with a temperature of eighty degrees Fahrenheit. You have two emails from Agent Coulson and five from Agent Hill. May I be the first to say happy birthday and happy Independence Day to you, Captain?” JARVIS spoke from the hidden speakers in his room.

Steve winced at the time on his alarm. He'd slept in and missed his run. Oh well, his birthday was as good as any excuse as to miss his daily morning run. He didn't feel like doing anything today.

“Thanks, JARVIS, and, uh, happy Independence Day to you too,” he said. 

“Thank you, Captain. You are the only one to wish me a happy independence day. May I ask why?” JARVIS asked and Steve frowned.

He looked at the ceiling, brows furrowed.

Had no one, even Stark, wished JARVIS? He knew that JARVIS wasn't human, that bit was glaringly obvious, but it was still the principle of the thing, isn't it? JARVIS acted human and spoke like a human and cared for others like a human. Steve heard the way JARVIS interacted with Tony. Was he the only one, perhaps besides Tony that treated JARVIS as a human? As one of them?

“You're like having another person around, JARVIS. You're as good as having a human around. I treat you as my equal because in my eyes you are my equal,” Steve said carefully.

It was silent. And the JARVIS spoke.

“I see, Captain. Enjoy your day further.”

Steve sighed and pressed the button on the remote beside his bed, blacking out his windows once more.

He'll sleep in a bit today. There's nothing important about it, and if Coulson or Hill needed him they'd phone.

Steve turned over and shut his eyes.


	14. Chapter 14

He wakes up an hour later feeling slightly less tired than he usually was. He did his usual routine of showering, making his bed and then preparing a light breakfast of toast and coffee before grabbing his sketchbook and heading for the common room. 

He's surprised to find Tony seated on the leather sofa, feet proposed up on the coffee table and a mug of coffee in hand and his fingers flying across a tablet.

Tony must've heard him when he walked in because the next thing he knows Tony is standing up, a big smile on his face. 

Tony looks at his watch before looking back at Steve. “You're late. Have a lie in today, Grandpa?” he teases. This time Steve rolls his eyes at Tony's joke.

He doesn't miss the delighted laughter he gets in return from Tony and Steve smiles.

“So a little AI Birdy told me that it was someone's birthday today,” Tony says, rocking on his heels. When Steve frowns slightly, Tony sighs.

“JARVIS told me. I had to find out from JARVIS. Why didn't you tell me, Rogers? I could've planned a party!” Tony says and Steve's frown deepens. That's exactly why he didn't tell anyone.

“I don't want a party,” he says and Tony waves a hand in his direction, pulling a small wrapped item out of his pocket. The wrapping, Steve notices, is red, white and blue. How original.

“This is for you,” Tony says with a grin. When Steve opens his mouth to decline, Tony glares at him. 

“Rogers, take it. I did not wrap this up for nothing. Also, I hope you noticed the packaging,” Tony says with a laugh.

Steve gives him a deadpan look. “Funny.”

Tony grins. “I thought so,” he replies and this time Steve allows himself to grin.

“You're just full of jokes today, aren't you, Stark?” he asks.

Tony's grin gets impossibly wider. “I'm full of jokes everyday. You just don't appreciate them enough,” he says and Steve feels slightly guilty at that.

He hadn't really tried to get to know Tony before he judged him. That's where all of his mistakes lay.

“Anyway, I have a day planned. First up, is lunch. Then movies,” Tony says.

Steve frowns and Tony notices. “Don't worry, it's not a surprise party or anything. I know you senior citizens can't handle surprises without going into cardiac arrest. It's just the two of us. Unless you want to invite someone else?” Tony asks and Steve shakes his head. He can handle a lunch.

“Okay!” Tony claps his hands, picking up his mug and dumping it in the sink before pocketing his tablet. Steve follows suit and puts his atrociously wrapped gift in the pocket of his leather jacket.


	15. Chapter 15

The diner that they went to was located at a busy corner of town. The inside was homey and everyone seemed to know everyone. They also seemed really good at minding their own business because no one so much as blinked when he and Tony stepped inside. They were ushered to a table near the back by a window that overlooked the main street.

Steve found that he liked it. The diner wasn't overly crowded, which was what he liked. 

Apparently, Tony had managed to order for them without him realising it because the next thing he knew two burgers were put down on the table in front of them and the waitress was telling them to enjoy their meal. 

Tony didn't wait before starting on his fries and Steve laughed. “You know, if you came up for air every once in a while and ate something besides the smoothies that you always complain about, you wouldn't be so hungry all the time,” he says.

Tony rolls his eyes, pointing a fry at him. “Don't you start too, Rogers.”

“I won't start, Stark, if you took the time to eat a decent meal,” Steve replied and Tony blinked.

Tony went quiet. “Don't call me that. Call me - call me Tony, alright?” he asked.

Steve was surprised, but didn't show it.

“Okay, Tony. I'll call you that if you call me Steve. No nicknames,” Steve countered and Tony grinned.

“Deal. But, I don't agree with no nicknames,” Tony says and Steve rolls his eyes.

They talk about anything and everything and when they're nearly done with their burgers there's a lull in conversation. It's not tense, but Steve can tell that Tony wants to say something but doesn't know how.

So he bites the bullet. 

“Out with it, Tony. What's eating you?” he asks.

Tony raises an eyebrow at him. “Are you trying to make a joke right now? What's eating at you? Seriously?” Tony asks and Steve ignores him. Tony's deflecting. Again.

“What is it?” he asks and Tony looks out the window.

“Why do you do that?” he asks and Steve feels confused. Why does he do what?

“What?” he asks and Tony looks at him. “You're different. Sometimes, I notice, you're like two different people. One minute you're like this,” Tony gestures to him, “And the next you're all uptight and have no time for jokes. You go all serious and stoic.”

Steve feels as if the floor has been ripped out from beneath him. He feels his hackles rise and before he could stop himself he's snapping at Tony.

“What, like you don't act differently? I've seen you, Tony,” he snaps and Tony flinches slightly.

Steve sighs, anger deflating. He didn't mean to snap at Tony the way he did.

“So you know that you're doing it then, I take it? It's like you disassociate,” Tony says and Steve goes quiet.

“You disassociate too. You're at least three different people, Tony. The person in public, the person in front of the team and SHIELD and then there's the person you are when you're with Pepper and Colonel Rhodes,” he says.

Tony blinks, opens his mouth then blinks again.

Steve smiles somewhat bitterly. “Yeah, I see it.”

Tony shoves his empty pate away from him and leaned his elbows onto the table. “Okay. So I disassociate. You do it too. Have you tried googling this? Researched it?” Tony asks and Steve shakes his head.

Why would he have googled it? Why Google something and overcomplicate things?

A slow look of understanding passes over Tony's face and Steve feels slightly uncomfortable.

“Do you - is this why you didn't want to move in? And why you didn't want to celebrate your birthday?” he asks.

Steve bites his lip, choosing not to look at Tony, instead, looking at all the passersby.

“Why would I celebrate serving as unimportant as my birthday? People always need Captain America and I need to be ready for that. People want Captain America. Steve Rogers was forgotten and died back before the war. So I don't celebrate my birthday because Steve Rogers is dead, has been for a long time.”

Tony grows quiet.

When Steve is brave enough to look at him, Tony is staring at him with understanding in his eyes. 

“I understand, Steve. God, do I understand. But please, do me a favour and research this. It's not healthy,” Tony says and Steve finds himself agreeing.

“Okay,” he says and Tony smiles at him, squeezing his hand lightly.

They walk back to the tower and spend the rest of the day watching movies and Steve finds himself with a friend. 

Maybe Tony has always been his friend but he hadn't taken the time to stop and actually realise it.


End file.
